Jacob Needleman’s vision: Unlocking ‘Third Space’ for deep teaching

The philosopher Jacob Needleman once wrote,

“I believe that the group is the art form of the future. In our present culture the main need is for a form that can enable human beings to share their perceptions…and through that sharing, to become a conduit for the appearance of spiritual intelligence.” 

I love that.

When we form a relationship with something that we care about, that thing is no longer an “It.” There’s a depth that is present, a sense of mystery. We’re in relation with something that is “other” and it’s clear that we don’t have all the answers, we can’t figure this out ahead of time. All we can do is put whatever we have to say out there, see what comes back, and use feedback to alter course. 

I call this place of mystery “third space” and to my mind, the most captivating aspect of teaching is working with this mysterious place. When we enter a relationship with something we care about, a third space is present–a place of depth and mystery. 

Here’s a link to my article, “Creating Third Space When You Teach, Train, Coach, or Mentor”